A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of ambulatory stretchers, more specifically, a stretcher that can convert to a first aid table.
Emergency medical personnel often use stretchers that are manually lifted to carry a patient thereon. These types of stretchers are commonly associated in military operations where a soldier is wounded, and needs to be evacuated. Typically, manually-held stretchers can fold up for storage and or may include feet there under to enable placement upon the ground. However, these types of stretchers, when placed on the ground, leave the patient lying just a few inches above the ground surface. In situations where a patient is placed on the ground, emergency medical personnel may need to administer life-saving respective patient. In such a situation it would be desirable to the emergency medical personnel to have the patient at a waist level with respect to the emergency medical personnel as opposed to ankle height.
The device of the present application seeks to address this need by providing a highly mobile stretcher that is manually lifted to carry a patient thereon, and which converts to a first aid table to place the patient at an elevation above the ground surface suitable for access to the emergency medical personnel.
B. Discussion of the Prior Art
As will be discussed immediately below, no prior art discloses a manually lifted stretcher comprised of two sets of handles that extend at distal ends of said stretcher; wherein a plurality of straps are provided along the length of the stretcher in order to immobilize and secure a patient to a top surface of the stretcher; wherein opposing sets of foldable legs are included on the bottom surface of the stretcher, and rotate downwardly to a perpendicular orientation in order to convert said stretcher into a first aid table; wherein the foldable legs may rotate upwardly in order to convert said first aid table back to said stretcher; wherein an IV holder accessory is included and may optionally attach onto one of the handles, and include a telescoping body to adjust the elevation of an IV bag with respect to the stretcher; wherein a plurality of small feet extend downwardly from the stretcher in order to support the stretcher a few inches above the ground surface, and with the foldable legs fully retracted.
The Linares Patent Application Publication (U.S. Pub. No. 2010/0257673) discloses a combination support table and stretcher assembly. However, the legs rotate outwardly to form handles for use as a stretcher, and do not limit the rangle of rotation to 90 degrees.
The Cook, III Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,323) discloses a combination portable x-ray table and stretcher. However, the stretcher does not convert from a first aid table to a stretcher.
The Congdon Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,230) discloses a patient-transporting system including a combined transport stretcher/operating room table. However, the table is not a relatively small and lightweight stretcher that converts to a first aid table via legs that rotate downwardly from underneath the stretcher.
The Pecorelli et al. Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,121,853) discloses a stretcher for the cleansing of bedridden patients. However, the stretcher includes height adjustment means that are integrated into the wheeled cart portion of the stretcher.
The Darling, III Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 7,150,465) discloses a mission adaptable portable cart/utility table arrangement. However, the cart/utility table is a wheeled stretcher, which does not include legs that rotate downwardly to convert a manually lifted stretcher to a first aid table.
The Dommerud Patent (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 301,021) illustrates an ornamental design for a collapsible stretcher. However, the collapsible stretcher includes hardware to support the stretcher in an expanded state or a retracted state, and does not include legs that fold down to convert the stretcher to a first aid table.
While the above-described devices fulfill their respective and particular objects and requirements, they do not describe a manually lifted stretcher comprised of two sets of handles that extend at distal ends of said stretcher; wherein a plurality of straps are provided along the length of the stretcher in order to immobilize and secure a patient to a top surface of the stretcher; wherein opposing sets of foldable legs are included on the bottom surface of the stretcher, and rotate downwardly to a perpendicular orientation in order to convert said stretcher into a first aid table; wherein the foldable legs may rotate upwardly in order to convert said first aid table back to said stretcher; wherein an IV holder accessory is included and may optionally attach onto one of the handles, and include a telescoping body to adjust the elevation of an IV bag with respect to the stretcher; wherein a plurality of small feet extend downwardly from the stretcher in order to support the stretcher a few inches above the ground surface, and with the foldable legs fully retracted. In this regard, the tactical stretcher and convertible first aid table with detachable IV pole departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art.